This invention provides a nickel oxide powder material, a production process thereof with high efficiency, a raw material composition for use in the same, and an anode material using the nickel oxide powder material. The nickel oxide powder material, when used as an anode material for a solid oxide fuel cell, can reduce heat shrinkage percentage in calcination to reduce a shrinkage difference from other component, and can suppress the occurrence of cracking, delamination, warpage and the like during calcining. Also in power generation after re-reduction after exposure of the anode once to an oxidizing atmosphere, for example, due to the disruption of the fuel supply, deterioration of microstructure of the anode can be suppressed, and the voltage drop percentage of the cell can be reduced. The nickel oxide powder material is used in an anode material constituting a solid oxide fuel cell and is characterized in that spinel compound represented by compositional formula: NiM2O4 wherein M represents a metal element is formed inside or on the surface of the nickel oxide powder or at the interface between the powder particles.